As promised, here is the final chapter. Again, I thank everyone who had patiently waited for the conclusion, for the chapters that I had struggled to write. I hope you lovely people are out somewhere and are happy.

Thank you, Golden Flame 611, for your lovely review and Miraia, for still reading. Know that I am forever grateful to people like you who are still here.

Happy Halloween Season!


She was laying her head on his shoulder, staring far off into space, hand once more cradled into his.

"I don't think this is a good idea." He muttered, tone soft, in spite of the fact that he was enjoying the sight of the setting sun in front of him. "You just got discharged from the hospital."

"I have a doctor beside me. What more should you worry about?" She asked peevishly. "I just want to see the sunset. It's been so long since I've seen it properly."

He shook his head. "You mean the ones you pestered me into going to the rooftop for weren't counted?"

"No. This is how you're supposed to view the sunset." Ever the stubborn, hard-headed woman he had known, she insisted so. "Outside, with nature, with the person you… you couldn't live without."

"Chihaya…"

He felt a drop of wetness on his shoulder, but she hurriedly and furiously wiped her tears away. Out of respect for the woman he had loved for nearly his entire life, he had said nothing, but wrapped an arm around her shoulders, making sure the thick blanket he had covered her in was intact and doing its job.

They had managed to reach this… understanding, even after half a year of Chihaya's treatment. It had been incredibly difficult, the way they had to adjust to each other's presence once more. The feelings had not disappeared but they had spent a good chunk of time separated, trying to learn how to survive alone while being in love with the other. With things the way they are now, they had to get used to being with the other again, in love, but terribly scarred with the wounds they had given each other, no matter if unintentional.

They were working through a lot – Chihaya's treatment, therapies that they need to have with each other and separately. It took them a month before they could bear to be in the same room with the other without triggering painful memories, another two months before they got used to each other's presence again, another three months before they managed to be able to touch each other familiarly again. Chihaya had to get used to having a husband, estranged, but a husband nonetheless – to care for her and her needs and not one she was pushing away, and Taichi had to accept the fact that what had happened had already happened and the only way now is forward while grieving for the child who could have lived.

"Are you not mad at me, Taichi?"

He knew he would never lie to her. Never. He could keep things from her yes, but never lie to her.

"I was… at one time." He admitted. "Years ago I had been so mad at you for deciding to walk away from me. But I was even madder at myself for not having the guts to stop you from doing so."

She shook her head, while still laying on his shoulder that he barely felt her do so. "For what it's worth, I think you did the right thing. No one should have to force their presence on a person who was thick-headed enough to push somebody they loved away from them." She was crying again. "I deserve all your anger, Taichi. I… I lost your… son."

And he was crying with her. He could not help it. "Our son. And as much as it hurts me, even if you feel like you deserved every bit of my anger I'm not… I could not be angry with you. You've punished yourself enough, Chihaya. You have grieved for the longest time."

She looked up to him then, as he turned away from her, not wanting her to see the tears, but she lifted a hand to his right cheek and made him turn to look at her. "Please don't hide this from me."

They cried together, Taichi clutching her hand so tight to his chest she could feel her fingers go numb, but she didn't care. It felt like if he let go of her she would disappear from reality, and she didn't want that. She had so much to make up for to him, and she couldn't let go of him, him who had always been her anchor when it came to the whirlwind of her life.

After some time of allowing their grief to finally, finally blanket them both, having been buried in the last few months as they forced themselves to try to both get a grip on their lives and try to piece back together a broken relationship, they slowly calmed down. His tears were still evident as he looked at her, but his smile was genuine. "I didn't come out here to cry."

She couldn't help it, she giggled. Taichi was evidently surprised, this being the first time in the longest while that she had even laughed in his presence, but it was progress.

Her expression changed though, turning doubtful once more.

"Taichi… can we make it this time?" She asked, worried. "Can we… can we make it together this time?"

He was looking at her. Really looking at her. She knew that gaze – the one she called x-ray eyes jokingly years before because she had always felt that he was staring into her soul and not just her skeleton whenever he did it. It had earned her probably one of his loudest laughs and a kiss on her lips for her unexpected comic timing.

"Are you planning on bailing out on me again?" He asked, making her detect a hint of steel in his tone.

Chihaya shook her head. She had been a coward once and decided to run away from her problems instead of facing them, unintentionally placing misery on Taichi, who had tried to support her and let her be aware that he was there. She could not – would not – let that happen again.

Ironic that Taichi had been the one to call himself a coward, but it was her who had ran away when everything had become too overwhelming for her.

"No." She told him, with conviction. "I've ran away once."

Taichi nodded at her approvingly. "You have your answer. And," he held on to her hand again. "I won't let you anyway."

Chihaya smiled through her tears once more. She knew she was fortunate enough to be given a second chance.

And she will not throw it away.


Thank you again, dear reader. 'Til the next time we meet.

Love,

Michiko